Harsh is very fond of trampoline. He used to play at bannerghatta road decathlon and in new golden breeze restaurant on hassan road. One day I got to know about play factory from a colleague and took Harsh there. He was very excited after seeing the trampoline park. We reached the place around 10 AM and no one else was there. After watching a small safety video we can start playing. One parent is allowed to accompany the kid inside. After 30 minutes i too decided to try it and paid 300 for 30 minutes. The place was well maintained and it was a nice experience.

Apart from the trampoline park there are few other games.

The segway and drift car for adults. Need to try these during our next visit.

Take a shot.

Initially Harsh was not ready to jump but once when he started we could not stop him.

He continued to play for another hour. 2 hours of non stop jumping and running.

Indoor cricket.

Dare to Drop?

Indoor football.

Volleyball and racing track.

Around 11 AM another big group of kids came in. It was some one's birthday party. The restaurant on first floor serves buffet for the party..

There is a viewing area in first floor.

Zorb ball and outdoor football with EC flyover in background.

Rate card for all games.

Harsh was ready to play for another half hour but convinced him we will take him often.
Kids will surely have fun, a must visit kids attraction in Bangalore.

Monday, July 17, 2017

A car purchased on loan will be hypothecated to the lender. This needs to be removed from the RT Office where the car is registered. This post is to explain the procedure we followed. Its a simple procedure and no need to take help from any agent.

Our registration is KA 05, Jayanagar. The office is in the 2nd floor of 4th block bus stand.
The office is open from 10 AM on Saturday.

Documents Required:

1. Original Registration card.
2. Original NOC from the bank.
3. Form 35 both copies received from the bank. Just need to sign and fill date.
4. Copy of Insurance.
5. Copy of Emission certificate.
6. Copy of Driving License.
7. Copy of ID proof.

Other items required:
1. A pen.
2. A stapler.
3. A cover with 18 Rs stamp and address. Sold in the lift of the RTO building. Yes in list.
4. A file. Sold in Jayanagar 4th block complex first floor.

Procedure:
1. Go to Non-Transport section which is on the right when we enter the office.
2. Go to the superintendent in counter 4.
3. Put the original RC inside the cover.
4. Get all the documents checked by the person at the counter.
5. After verification he will write Rs 200 on the document.
6. Take all the documents and give it in the cash counter and pay Rs 200. Cash only. You will get 2 receipts.
7. Now combine all the above mentioned documents, the cover with RC, both receipt and staple them.
8. Put the bunch inside the file and again go back to the superintendent in counter 4.
9. Now he will check all documents again and sign in the first page.
10. Take the documents and go to Sakala counter. Submit all the documents with the file. They will give you the receipt with a date mentioned in that. With this step 1 is over.

Now need to wait and see what is to be done on that day. Not sure if i will get the new RC on that date or should i visit the office again. The date they have given me is Sunday and wondering if the government office will be open on Sunday. Will update the rest after the next step.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

After getting FASTag we used it in multiple tolls and this post is about the experience. The first toll we crossed with the tag is the electronic city phase 1 while visiting Iravadeswarar Temple near Hosur. It took some time to get to that dedicated fastag lane. After entering the lane we only had to slow down and drive through. It was a smooth exit. We were supposed to get message for each toll but we did not get any. Same was the case most of the time. The transaction details can be checked online in the fastag account.

Next was the attibelle toll. Single journey charge is Rs 25 and if the return is on same day its Rs 40.
When we cross the toll first Rs 25 is deducted and during the return Rs 15 is deducted from the account making it Rs 40. Another advantage of FASTag in this case is we don't have to worry about saving the bill for return.

Last week during our trip to home the drive through EC, Attibelle, krishnagiri and dharmapuri was all smooth except in the EC toll during return. However today while checking the transaction we noticed that the money for not deducted in Dharmapuri toll both the times. This is another advantage ;). In the EC toll while coming back the reader did not detect the tag and the boom barrier did not open. We had to pay and cross but we see that the amount is deducted. This too can happen but i hope it will not repeat.

Hope someday fastag will be the norm as i have mentioned in my how to get fastag page and the drive on our highways will be much smoother than now.

We skipped Gudibande fort after seeing Avalabetta hill in morning. Since we had reached city soon we decided to visit Jawaharlal nehru planetarium on the way. The place was crowded when we reached and a big queue standing for the sky theatre show. We only saw the science park and exhibition hall. Some of the exhibits were not working as it was not well maintained. We walked around the place and tried out few experiments.

Whispering disc.

Lift yourself.

Pulleys.

Playing with heat and light.

Double cone. There are many more but some of them not working.

Inside the exhibition hall. Check your weight on all planets and our moon. Harsh will weigh 50Kg on Jupiter and 3 on moon.

In front of comparison of planets with sun.

Information about the place.

An interesting place for kids to get introduced to space and some science concepts.

Avalabetta is one of the famous trekking spot around Bangalore. We reached the base of the hill at 8 AM and there was already some 500 vehicles parked. Though there is a good cement road leading to top, vehicles are not allowed and they have done the right thing. With these many bikes and cars there would only be chaos at top. Never seen such a crowd at any trek places around Bangalore. Surely its not an offbeat place and gives tough competition to the famous Nandi hills.

We parked the car and reached the gate. We were talking to the tender coconut seller and a guy looking at harsh told us "you will have to carry him ". We said thanks we will try and thought "you do not know him". He has climbed 1100 steps when he was 4 years and 4 months to reach Akash ganga falls in kolli hills.

There are two way to reach up. One the cemented road other the broken steps. Steps was of course shorter and we took that.

The climb was moderately difficult. We took few breaks and reached the top.

Though it was well after sunrise the cool breeze made the climb a pleasant experience.

The narasimha swamy temple is located at the first level of the hill. There are few people who have climbed up solely for the purpose of visiting the temple and others like us for the famous cliff.

Huge rocks balancing on narrow ends.

The climb was totally worth, the view from the top of the hill was beautiful. The cool breeze was refreshing and we sat down for some time looking at the vast landscape.

Then we started looking for that famous hanging cliff. We read that no one is allowed near the cliff and a guard is posted to stop people going to the edge.

However we did not know that they have erected a fence with sharp spikes and barbed wires. This has made things only worst as we saw people risking injury and climbing up the fence to reach that cliff. This guy jumping over those spikes and that girl tearing a part of her cloth, all for what?

This. This famous cliff to get a pic. We saw few people going to that edge and taking pics.

We left the spot soon and sat on other side where we had a good view of the surrounding hills.

There is another temple above the narasimha swamy temple which was closed when went.

Some more views from the top of the avalabetta.

Winding road and the car parking at the base.

We took the cement road while coming down. Only complaint Harsh had was he is very hungry, a rare one.

We skipped Gudibande fort plan and drove back home. A nice trekking place near Bangalore even though its too crowded on weekend.

Iravadeswarar temple is located in Athimugam village near Hosur. The temple is 1500 years old and has an interesting story behind it. Virudhasura was disturbing the sages and killing them. The sages complained to Lord Indira. Lord Indira killed the asura virudhasura with help of is vehicle iravatham, the elephant. Lord Indira got brammahati dosha since he killed a living being. He and his divine elephant found a suyambu linga and did pooja for 48 days to get relieved from the dosha. At the end of 48 days Lord Shiva appeared before them and relieved them of the dosha. The face of the elephant was naturally carved on the suyambu linga as the lord was pleased with the dedication of the divine elephant. Thus the name Iravathewarar temple.

Another unique feature of this temple is that there are two deities inside the sanctum sanctorum. Akilandavalli amman graces the devotees from behind the suyambu lingam.

The sanctum was closed when we went. We could only see the Linga from outside and the amman behind was covered with a screen.

Also the nandi is not straight infront of the Linga. Its moved slightly so that the sun rays fall on the linga in the month of Thai (jan-feb) during sunset.

We went around the sanctum and saw statues of lord Vishnu, Bhramha and Durga devi and few other. There is also a navagraha inside the mandapa.

The elderly women who showed us around the temple told us the temple will be open in morning and in evening on Monday's and Friday's. Other days it may or may not be open.

On the pradosham day there will be a good crowd.

There are 5 lingas of varying size to the left of the main temple.

The anthill is believed to be as old as the temple.

There is also a shrine for Lord Ganesha and Akilandeshwari amman on each side.

We spent around half an hour and drove back home. Harsh has field trip to a brick factory this week.. We saw a kiln and stopped by to see the brick making process in advance.

The temple is below the ground level and the linga is further down.

The temple is located in middle of the village with narrow access road. Last 500m was very bad and had to drive very carefully. After Indian oil petrol bunk google maps asks to take left, instead drive another 100m straight and take the left. Within 50m you will find the board and a narrow road which leads to the temple.